1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to table games wherein a projectile is slid along a table surface and rebounded toward a scoring area.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
A portable shuffleboard game is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,711. This patent discloses a device that has a game board with a center divider, and projectiles that are manually slid along the table board from one side of the divider to another for scoring. The projectiles are roller operated or based, and rubber band type rebounding members are utilized.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,294 also shows a competitive projectile game with a rebounding ball, and a table top that has a short divider that divides a short portion of the table top into two court areas.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,174,752 shows a game apparatus that has a divided game board for shuffleboard playing, and has cushions, including rebound cushions on a short center divider. These however are cushions which are resilient rings that are glued or fastened in place, to form bumpers for play.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,686 shows a symmetrical folded alley game board with a pair of dividers, and rebound members so that there are three alleys formed, and a central alley has a target area therein. A projectile that comprises a roller mounted in an outer housing is used for the playing piece.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,219,349 shows a shuffleboard game with a central divider so that the base portion where the players stand is formed into two separate alleys. U.S. Pat. No. 2,990,180 also shows a game board with a central divider, and this particular device has a coin operated system which blocks the rebounding members at one end of the game board when the game is over, after a preselected length of time.
Game devices that have projectiles that are rebounded on wall cushions, have also been known, and such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,232,619, 2,472,884 and 1,099,419. However, these devices do not show a cushioned center divider for example, and show a different cushioning arrangement than that disclosed herein.
Gate pins that are used for blocking movement of pucks or projectiles are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,565,238 and 3,817,519. These patents show different structures for obtaining the results of extending pins for forming barriers to prevent play in coin operated machines. After the clock or time has run out the pins will protrude and prevent further play.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,593,641 shows a puck obstructing device for a shuffleboard game which comprises pins that are raised up to prevent play and which are operated by a solenoid.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,688 also shows a game board that has a barrier that is raised up to prevent game play when desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,863 shows a sliding puck game wherein a cover member controls barriers or pegs that project into the path of the puck to prevent play at selected times.
Various puck or sliding weights are also known in the prior art, and patents which show such pucks include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,000,900; 2,878,023; 2,467,043; 2,695,174; and 2,704,211.
The puck of the present invention utilizes a heavy base, with a plastic top that is dome-shaped so that it feels much like a billiard ball, and provides a feel for banking and putting spin on the billiard puck as it is slid.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,522,275 and 2,811,359 show game apparatuses of general interest.
Additionally, there are games which are marketed that use single length shuffleboards, and some with short dividers, but none which combine to provide for the simplicity of construction, ease of replacing rebound cushions, easily operated pucks, and the rectangular relatively short table that can be easily stored and used in compact places, and yet which provides the excitement of a full-scale game.